The Kyabazinga of Busoga, HRH William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV, and his counterpart, the Umukuka of Inzu Ya Masaaba, Jude Mike Mudoma have rallied their subjects to take part in the National Population and Housing Census which starts this Friday, May 10, 2024.
The Kyabazinga in his meeting with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Executive Director, Dr. Chris Mukiza at the palace in Bugembe, Jinja urged the Basoga to support and involve themselves in the census to be counted.
“As a kingdom, we want to encourage our people to support and involve themselves in the census to be counted. The census helps the government to plan for its people knowing which areas need improvement and which areas are well off,” the Kyabazinga said on Monday.
“We are grateful that UBOS decided to come up with this census that happens after every 10 years. We do believe that through your new innovations, even us as Obwa Kyabazinga, we are going to benefit a lot in terms of planning for our people,” he added.
The Busoga King also welcomed UBOS’ initiative to establish a statistical office at the kingdom headquarters. “Without statistics and data, we can’t do much. We are grateful as Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga that you have accepted to set up for us a statistical office at the kingdom headquarters,” he said.
The Umukuka on the other hand has appealed to the bamasaba people in Bududa, Mbale District, Namisindwa District, Manafwa, Bulambuli, and Sironko districts to participate in the 11th population census slated for 10th May until 19th May 2024,
“All dwellers of bugisu as a region, whether Basoga, Bateeso, Banyole, Chinese, Indians, Bakyotara and other groups are encouraged to participate in the census,” he said in a message through the Institution Spokesperson, Mr Masiga.
The Umukuka also reminded bamasaba and other persons staying in Masabaaland about the immense benefits of the census, saying it will help in establishing the number of people in the region including the clans they belong to, education levels of bamasaba and other groups including employment status and the nature of houses they occupy.
Mr Masiga also in his message to this website encouraged every Umumasaba not to be left out of the census,we expect population and census officials in the various local Government of bugisu to update Inzu Ya Masaaba institution if there is there non compliance on the program and we shall use cultural tips to induce compliance of the census.
The National Housing and Population Census 2024 will also establish the various tribes in Masaabaland through a special questionnaires that have been developed and dispatched by UBOS, the country’s statistics body.
According to UBOS all enumerators have undergone intensive training and taken an oath not to misuse the information they will come across during the census,we encourage our people to participate in the program to avoid last resort ramifications imposed by the law for failure not to be counted or answer questions.
“The method of collecting the data on the census will be through oral questions and there are special provisions for those that are dumb and deaf,the cultural and traditional institutions in Uganda should encourage their subjects to participate in this exercise,” emphasized Mr Masiga.
“Bamasaaba should know that our culture allows counting of our people and even our ancestors use to go through the same,” he concluded.
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